Duplicity
by 2sidez-Samecoin
Summary: A look into a moment between two of Ramza's former companions.


**Duplicity**

_This is my story for __the FFT Writing Circle__. I hope you enjoy it._

_I do not own Final Fantasy Tactics_

'_words'_-thoughts

* * *

It was a quite day in the city of Dorter, and it was a slow day for the Kepi Bar. It was around noon and at a table in a corner of the bar there sat a black mage and a calculator engaged in a game of chess. 

"It's your move Aurora," the calculator said.

"I know, Navarro, quit rushing me," his black mage friend replied.

"It's been ten minutes already-"

"Well excuse me if I can't think as fast as you o' wise calculator. I'm still new at this." Navarro couldn't help but smile as Aurora went back to studying the board. As she did a messenger entered the bar and looked around trying to gauge the likelihood of the person he wanted being there. He was told that he would find the person here but he was still unsure. However he took another glance at the name on the paper and cleared his throat.

"Is there anyone who goes by the name of Aurora here?" Aurora immediately shot her hand up and shouted to the messenger where she was. She kept her eyes focused on the board as she started to finalize her plan for her move. She was determined to win against Navarro for once. The messenger made his way over to where she and Navarro were sitting with the letter in hand. "Excuse me miss, but I have a letter-"

"Hold on for a moment," Aurora interrupted. She moved her chess piece and declared 'check'. She smiled at Navarro and had a look of defiance in her eyes, daring him to try something. Aurora was pretty sure what he would do and then she would be able to declare 'checkmate'. However he had noticed something she didn't. He countered the 'check' by capturing the threatening piece and declared 'checkmate'. Aurora was in disbelief. "No way! How?"

"You left yourself open when you moved that piece to put my king in check." Aurora looked at the board to see what he was talking about. As usual he was right. "Also, I hate to tell you this but, if you had moved this piece to here instead you would have won." Aurora said nothing more and restrained her anger. The messenger stood silently for few more minutes before tying again.

"Excuse me miss." Aurora turned her attention from Navarro and the chessboard to look at the messenger. "I have a letter for you."

"Thank you." She took the letter from him and paid him for his effort.

"So, who is it from?" Navarro inquired.

"Why don't you what until I finish reading it." Aurora opened the letter and began to read it. Navarro watched anxiously as he waited to hear who the letter was from and maybe even what the letter was about. He watched her expression go from neutral to confused, and then from confused to irate. When she finished reading the letter she crumpled it, grabbed her hat and put it on, got up from the table, and started to leave. She walk briskly to the door and then out into the street. Aurora then started to travel in the direction of the inn she was staying at. Navarro was concerned at his friend's behavior so he got up and began to try to follow her. When he got outside he looked around until he saw Aurora and ran after her. He tried to call to her but she ignored his yelling. All that occupied her mind at the moment was the contents of the letter and the person who sent it.

Soon they reached the inn and Aurora made a beeline for her room with Navarro following behind. She soon reached the door, unlocked it, and went inside. She threw the letter on the floor as she began to gather her things. Navarro cautiously entered the room and picked up the letter. After he had finished reading it he looked to Aurora.

"I take it you're going?" He inquired. She didn't respond. "…Aurora?" Aurora just kept gathering her belongings together. "Aurora, don't let Bene-" She turned around sharply to look at Navarro.

"Do not mention that fire spitter's name again!" Aurora's eyes glowed brighter than normal for a moment. Navarro looked into her eyes before averting his gaze somewhere else. He was always disturbed by black mage eyes. The way they glowed stirred something deep within him. He couldn't even stand to look at his own reflection when he was a black mage. It was part of the reason why he always asked Aurora to remove her hat when they played chess. Aurora pulled her hat down a little before she spoke again. "Besides, I want to know why and I may finally get my answer if I go."

"Just be careful Aurora," Navarro said as he left the room. Aurora watched him leave before she did a final sweep of the room to see if she had everything. Once she was sure of that she sat on the bed and thought about the past. Both Aurora and Benedict had been apart of Ramza's troop. They had also gone to the Academy with him. However one day Benedict left the group and sided with their enemies in battle. Aurora sighed. _'I don't even remember the battle that well, but maybe now I can find out why he left.'_ She grabbed her things and the key to the room and left. Aurora then went to checkout at the front desk. She already had her journey planed out. It would only take about two days to reach Zirekile Falls so she would need many supplies. Aurora went into the near by shop and bought a couple of potions, a couple of ethers, and a tent. She figured that by nightfall she could be past the more dangerous part of Araguay Woods.

It was around two when she started for Zirekile Falls. After about two hours of traveling she reached the woods. Aurora kept her guard up as she continued. When it was getting close to nightfall she began stopping every so often and looked around. Soon Aurora stopped to set up her tent while there was still light. She couldn't admire the sunset; there was just too much on her mind. Aurora and Benedict had been close friends in the past and it just didn't seem like he would be the type to turn on his friends, but now she was having a hard time forgiving him for what he had done. She ate half of the bread she had brought with her and went to sleep. However she was rudely awakened during the night by creatures trying to get into her tent. With her rod in hand she rushed out of the tent and turned to face it. The creatures stopped and turn to face her. With no moonlight she had a hard time figuring out what the creatures were. She then ripped off a small piece of her cloak, threw it to the ground in front of her, and cast a quick fire spell. In the momentary light that the burning cloth provided she was able to see that there were at least 4 goblins. She smirked knowing that goblins were weak to ice spells. Before the goblins could charge, they were dispatched by an Ice2 spell. Aurora stepped over the corpses to get back to her tent. She set her rod down beside her as she went back to sleep. It was mid-morning when Aurora woke up again. She resisted the urge to go back to sleep and put her hat on. After eating about another fourth of the bread she had, Aurora took down the tent and repacked her things. She knew it wouldn't be long now. As she walked she kept a look out for any more goblins or any other creatures that may have decided to attack her.

Around noon she heard the rushing water that signified that she was close to the falls. She stopped for a moment to prepare herself mentally for what she was about to face. Then she quickened her pace slightly until Zirekile Falls came into view. She then walked slowly until she saw the bridge come into view. Aurora looked around her field of view for Benedict but didn't see him. She wondered how long it would be before he would show himself. Soon she felt someone's presence behind her.

"Hello, Rory. Or should I say Aurora?" Aurora quickly turned around and came face to face with a male black mage slightly taller than her.

"Benedict…" she whispered as she took a couple of steps back. She knew it was him because only he would call her Rory.

"Long time, no see, how have you been?" He said with a smirk that was not visible to Aurora. She tried to regain her composure before she spoke.

"Fine!" She replied hotly.

"Calm down Rory. I'm just trying to be friendly." He still had the smirk on his face; he knew her too well.

"Friendly? Friendly?! You turned on us! How is that friendly?"

"Come now Rory, I had my reasons."

"What reasons? And don't call me Rory anymore; you lost that privilege a long time ago!"

"To be able to live without the fear of being chased all the time, but it looks like I may have been able to do that anyway if I had stayed."

"What are you insinuating Benedict?"

"Tell me, Aurora, why aren't you traveling with Ramza anymore?" She lowered her gaze and stayed silent. "Don't want to answer huh? That's alright. I already know." She looked up in disbelief. "The looked on Ramza's face when I asked him where you were told me all I needed to know. Seeing the guilt on his face was priceless. I figured he dismissed you not too long before he ran into the group I was with." Benedict started to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing; I was just thinking about the look on Ramza's face when he made the order to retreat. I had gotten him and a few of the others with a nice fire spell." He started to laugh even harder.

"Damn fire starter!" She shouted as she charged at Benedict with her Wizard Rod. Benedict stopped laughing and drew out his Wizard Rod just in time to parry her attack. "How could you?" She hissed. "They were your friends; _I_ was your friend!" She stepped back and prepared to attack again. This time Benedict charged and she parried.

"I already explained that to you Aurora. I had planed to take you with me the next time I faced you and the others, but Ramza ruined that by dismissing you. So he paid for it." They broke apart and Aurora quickly casted Ice. Benedict was hit by the spell and stopped for a moment to recover. Aurora had nothing more to say as she was focused on the battle. Benedict rushed at Aurora once more. "You'll pay for that ya damn ice queen!" Once again she parried, but this time the hooks near the top of the rods caught on each other. Both Aurora and Benedict tried to pull their rod away from other but it was ineffective. They told each other to let go of their rod but neither of them would comply. Both were frustrated and wanted the battle to end so they both thought of the one thing that they could possibly do given their situation. They both began to speak the incantation for their spells at the same time.

"Effortless water, break your silence, attack! Ice4!"

"Smoldering flames far below, punish the wicked! Fire4!" The sky started to grow dark as the spells started to take action. Within seconds giant shards of ice and balls of fire rained on the two of them.

When the spells terminated their rods were destroyed, Benedict was kneeling trying to catch his breath and Aurora was lying on the ground while her hat was a few feet away from her on fire. Benedict got out a hi-potion from his cloak and drank it. Starting to feel the effects from the potion immediately he started to walk over to where Aurora lay. While he had been drinking the potion Aurora had tried to move. She was on her belly and was only able to move her right hand and arm slightly. When Benedict got to her he gently turned her so she was on her back. She tried to speak, but the spell had left her throat and mouth very dry causing her to start coughing. He knew that even though she couldn't talk she could still cast a few spells. So he casted Osmose and drained the rest of her magic energy. He then searched her cloak for items and found the potions and ethers that she had bought as well as her money and Ice Rod. She could only looked up at him with tired eyes as he robbed her of what she had. Benedict couldn't help but look at Aurora. It had been quite awhile since he had last saw her face. He then left the Ice Rod in her cloak and placed one of her potion bottles just out of her reach. He was just about to walk away when he remembered something. He kneeled down next to Aurora and pulled something out of his cloak. Aurora tried to look but her energy was draining at a rapid pace now. He noticed this and held the object above her.

"I'm sure you remember this." He said as he grabbed a thick lock of her hair. "You've probably been wondering where it's been since that battle haven't you?" Aurora had been wondering about that. It had a sentimental value; Benedict had given it to her for her birthday back when they were still close. He finished tying the ribbon in her hair and looked at her. "Beautiful…" he whispered as he leaned in for a kiss. Their lips meet gently and briefly before Benedict got up and left. Aurora was confused and exhausted; Benedict's actions just didn't make sense to her. She then noticed the potion bottle that was laying beside her that was just out of her reach. She tried for it but her body was useless right now. She tried stretching her arm as far as it would go, but she could only brush against the bottle with her fingertips. Aurora stopped trying and looked up at the sky. It was full of giant rain clouds. They loomed over her, waiting to release their contents. There was nothing more she could do as the last of her strength left her. Soon Aurora's eyes closed, and as she faded into unconsciousness the rains started.


End file.
